Curtain stretcher



March 26, 1935. I

A. H. MOORE CURTAIN STRETCHER Filed June 18, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ALBEAT Moo/ '5 ATTORNEYS Patented Mar. 26, 1935 UNITED. orgies r cumnmmwcnm g Albert H. Moore, Alliance; g Application June 1851934,} Serial: No. 731,041 r is (l'laiins f This invention-relates to curtain -stretcherssuchasare-used for drying curtains, draperies or the like after being washed; and more especm-ua itrelates to improved curtain stretcher-s offthe type wherein the curtain or drape'mounted thereon is folded at its middle an'dits respectiveend' per device and when disassembled for storalg to provide improved means for holding the t ture in assembled condition; which means permits of ready'adjustability of the device for-cur tains of d-ifierent widths; to" provide: novelandf f improved means for adjusting the-- structure to receive curtains of different lengths; to" 'provide improved pinsorhooks for engagement wan the lateral marginal portions of a-curtain;- and to provide readily for the removal o fsa'id pinsor' "hooks to facilitate disassembly of the stretcher for storage.

Other objects will be manifest as= the specification proceeds.

Of the accompanying drawings,

Figure 2 is anend elevationthereof;

line3-3 of Figure 1, and acurtain m plac'etheree 011*; H V Figure 4*is a fragmentary detail endelevatio ing the respective end portions'of a curtain;

Figure 5 is a section on the line- 5'--5 of Figure and v Figure 6 is a viewsimilarto'Figure- 4 showing modified means for engaging the end portions of a curtain.

R'eferring'to the drawings, 10,10 are para-l lel,

spaced standards that are supported in vertical position by'respe'ctive feet orsillsll 1 1; the-latter being transversely slotted to receive the" standards. The sills'and standards are secured} together byrespective bolts 12; 12 that; are pro'-- vided with wing nutsto permit rapid assemmy and disassembly: -A bottom rail 13, which may be calibrated as-shown-,- extends from one foo-t 11 to theother, and is removabllv clampedtotherespective standards bybolts 14. Raili=3 assists in-impartingrigidityto the' structure;

Mounted upon-the topof standards I'D-is atoprail' '16 that hasits upper face 7 rounded' as shown so that said 'rail; is" substantially semifcylind'ri}: 1 c niorm': 7 secured-1w the under side of top rail 16*and extending longituqinau anereof; a tongue '17; sa-i'd tongue being considerably-nav (or; tear) withrespectivelongitudinally extending rabbets tions disposed in parallel'relation toeach dtli'tr. The chief objects ofthe inventionareto con- J serve space-bothimthe operative condition of the;

or slots 1 9, 1 9. Thestandards; sill'sand rails previously-"described preferably; are made of wood. f Secured t'o the ad ja'cent faces of standards 10 near the top thereof are" respective sheet m'etal brackets 21. Each bracket 21 is angular in shape, and has 'aportion 21 thereofthat project's laterally from the" standard, parallel to tongue 1'7, and has its*uppe1"-'marginalportion bent at right angles tofo'rma flangeZ I Figure 3, that engages" in one-of the-rabbets '19-" of said tongue The brackets-2i are identical instructure and are so. mounted that; theflange 21 of'one engages one rabbet IQ Where'a-s thefiange 21b ofthebtherjl braeket engages" 'inthe rabbet' on 1 the opposite side of the tong'u'e; Associated with each-bracket 2lis-an-l -shaped metal clamp 22 that is secured I V v p theret'ofby afbolt 2 3* provided with wing nut 24': Figure 1 is a front elevation of curtainstretchj er embodying the invention; in its preferrediiorm The cl'amp 22'is so'positioned'that oneof its mar--' r I oppositesi'debears-against aside oftongue 17;, Figure 3 is a section, onalarger scale on the the arrangement being such" that tightening of bolt 23 clampstongue 1"? between clamp- 22 and bracket'po'rtion 21 The construction makes for easy a'djustability of'the standards 10 relatively of on a larger scale, showing themeansror engag the top-rail 16*,yet providesor ample rigidity of V the assembled structure. 1 As is most clearly shown inF-igure 3; a curtain desi'g'nated'25; when mounted on the stretcher extends ov'er the rounded topofi'tor r'rail 16 and downwardly eachside thereof, the-'b'olts 23and wing nuts 24' being" so positioned inwardly'of' the lateral mar'gins of thetop rail as notto be-in contact-withthe curtain.

For engaging the respective end portions of the curtain 25, aarmetal stretcher bars 27, 27 40 are provided, which bars; are inserta-ble through the hen-1s" at the-respective ends of the curtain, as is 'most clearly shown in Figure 4. This figure shows an extra pair ofbars 2'7 which'rnay be used when it is desired to dry and 'stretch two'curtains ofthe same" size at one time. The bars 2'7 of each pair or bars are disposed onopposite sides of" standards lfl; and their respective end portions are-engaged verse-any; adjustable fixtures,

whereby the stretcher is adap'table for c'urtain's r of any length; Said-fixtures are mounted on the outer faceso'f standards- 10- and are identical in structuresothat a; description of one will sufiicefbr-bothi-eittntidn being' especiall'y directed tor'igures rane a" I p fullest capacity, all of the pins will not require the arrangement being such that tightening of said wing'nut causes the fixture to be tightly clamped fixed position on the standard, yet being adapted for vertical adjustment thereon upon loosening of said wing nut.

The upper part of plate 29 is bent outwardly at right angles to provide a projecting shelf- 34 upon which rests a pair of heavy wire clips 35, 35. The clips 35 are adjustably secured in position on shelf 34 by a metal cleat 36 that carries a bolt 37, the" latter extending between clips 35 and through a suitable aperture in shelf 34, there being a wing nut 38 threaded onto said ,bolt below said shelf.-

The clips .35 have limited longitudinal movement relatively of cleat 36when the wingnut 38 is loosened. Said clips extend from each side of standard 10, and each has one end formed with a downwardly extending hook portion 35 adapted to embrace one or more bars 27, the latter being disposed below the clips. The other end of each clip is angularly bent as shown to prevent the clip from beingren ovedfrom beneath cleat 36 when the latter is loosened.

In order to prevent thela teral margins of the I curtain 25 from pulling towardv each other as the curtain is stretched longitudinally, means is provided for securely anchoring said'marginal por tions to the stretcher structure, and to this end each standard lflis formed with a longitudinal series of transverse apertures-orsocketsAO, 40 that extend from the inner face to the outer face of the standard and selectively reveive respective pins 41, Each pin 4l consists of a single,

length of wire thatis sharpened at. both ends,

and has its medial portion so bent as to provide a transversely disposed portion 41* of double; thickness. The portion fll pf each pin is received in a socket 40, the pointed ends of the pinprojecting beyond the front and rear faces of the standard 10, as shown in Figures 2 and 5, so

that the marginal portions of-the curtain 25, on opposite sides of the standards, may be attachedto said pins. The springiness of the wire of pins 41 holds them securely in their sockets;

yet they are easily removed therefrom before the stretcher is disassembled so that there is little;

danger of lacerating the hands. The pins 41 are mounted in place after the stretcher is assembled for use, and if the stretcher is not used to its to be mounted. V w I s g It will be seen that the standards 10 may be adjusted relatively of each other to accommodate curtains of different widths, and that by raising f or lowering the. fixtures that engage stretcher bars27 the device can be made to accommodate curtains of different lengths. The stretcher is of relatively small area-when assembledand may be disassembled and packed within small compass.

The modified embodiment shownin Figure 6 is identical in all respects with the'preferred embodiment of theinvention except that stretcher bars 27 are dispensed with and in theirplaceis provided wooden rails 43, 13,

j ecting pins 44 upo n which the respective end portions of a curtain may be impaled. Therails which rails are pro-. vided with respective series of outwardly pro 43 are of irregular transverseshape as shown to provide a ledge 43 and in use the clips 35 are turned so that their hook-shape end portions 35 extend upwardly so as to engage said ledge, whereby the said rails are securely held in proper position. The provision of the rails 43 makes the device available for stretching curtains not provided with hems at their ends.

Other modifications'may be resorted to without departing fromthe spirit of the-invention or the scope of the appended claims;

a What is claimed is:

1. In a curtain stretcher, the combination of a pair of vertical standards, a'semicylindrical top 'r'ail'mo unted upon the-tops of said standards,

said top rail being provided with a relatively a to t iL- nd r n ct v series i p s r.e.

movably mounted on the outer face of each standard for impaling thelateral marginsof said curtain, each of saidpins being double pointedso asto engage the curtainon oppositeisides of the standard- 2, In a curtain stretcher, the combination of a pair of vertical standards, a semicylindrical top 'rail mounted upon the topsof said standards, the v lateral margins of said top rail being flush with,

the front and rear faces of the standards, meansv I disposed between the standards for adjllstably securing the top rail to the standards, vertically adjustable meansattached to the standards for engaging both ends of a curtain that extends over said top rail,'a nd respective series of pins removably mounted on the outer side of each standard for impaling the lateral margins of the said curtain. r

. 3. A curtain stretcher comprising a pair of vertical standards, a semicylindrical top rail of the same width as the standards supported upon the tops thereof, and means disposed between the I standardsand below the top rail for'adjustably securing the top rail to the standards in a manner that permits adjustment of the standards longitudinallyof the top rail. 7

4. A curtain stretcher comprising a pair of vertical standards, a transversely rounded top rail supported upon the tops thereof, and means permanently secured to-the respective standards and releasably engaging the under side of the top rail for adjustably holding them together, said securing means being disposed entirely between the lateral margins of the top rail.

5. A curtain stretcher comprising a pair oivertical standards,a half-round top rail across the upperends thereof, a tongue on the underside of the top rail seating in complemental slots vformedin the ends of the standards, and means permanently secured to the standards andreleasably engaging said tongue for holding the structure adjustably in assembled condition.

. 6, A curtain stretcher comprising a pair ofven tical standards, a, rounded top. rail across the upper ends thereof, a tongue on theunder side of the top rail seatedyinj complemental grooves formed in, the ends of therespective, standards,

d @n u be n .f rm d-,.,-w ih; itu n extending; rabbets, and means secured --to the nd rdsead n e sab y a aeinsintherahbets narrow longitudinal tongue on its bottom face of said tongue for holding the structure adjustably in assembled condition.

'7. A curtain stretcher comprising a pair of vertical standards, a rounded top railacross the upper ends thereof, a tongue on the under side of the top rail seated in complemental grooves formed in the ends of the respective standards, said tongue being formedin its respective lateral faces with longitudinally extending rabbets, brackets secured to each standard and formed with a flange engaging in a rabbet in said tongue, and a releasable clamp on each bracket engaging said tongue for holding the structure adjustably in assembled condition.

8. A curtain stretcher comprising a pair of parallel side members, an end rail across the ends thereof, a tongue on said end rail seated in complemental grooves in the ends of the respective side members, said tongue being formed with longitudinally extending rabbets, and

means secured to the adjacent faces of the side members and releasably engaging in the rabbets of said tongue for holding the structure adjustably in assembled relation, said'means being disposed entirely between the lateral margins of the end rail.

9. A curtain stretcher comprising a pair of vertical standards, a rounded top rail supported on the tops thereof and adapted to receive the medial portion of a curtain thereover, a pair of flat stretcher bars adapted to be inserted in hems at .the respective ends of a curtain, and a single fixture on each standard forsecuring both bars to the respective standards on opposite sides thereof.

10. A curtain stretcher comprising a pair of vertical standards, a rounded top rail supported on the tops thereof and adapted to support the medial portion of one or more curtains thereon, stretcher bars for insertion in the hems at the respective ends of said curtains, fixtures on the respective standards adjustable longitudinally thereof, and a pair of oppositely extending, laterally adjustable clips on each fixture for engaging one or more stretcher bars at opposite ends of the curtains and on opposite sides of the standards.

cleats for'adjustably securing respective pairs of clips to respective fixtures.

12. A curtain stretcher comprising a pair of stretcher rails being provided with pins for impaling the respective end portions of a curtain,

and means positioned on the outer face of each side member and adjustable longitudinally thereof for engaging and supporting both stretcher rails.

13. A curtain stretcher comprising a pair of parallel side members eachhaving its outer face formed with a longitudinal series of sockets, an

end rail across the ends of saidmembers adapted to engage the medial portion of a curtain mounted upon the stretcher, means extending transversely of said side members and secured thereto for engaging the respective end portions of the curtain, and respective pins mounted in the aforesaid sockets in the outer face of each side member, each of said pins having two points which project beyond opposite margins of said side member for engagement with lateral margins of I the curtain on opposite sides of the stretcher, and

each pin having, an offset portion receivable in a socket.

14. The combination of a curtain stretcher having lateral frame elements formed with aper-v tures, and a double pointed pin having a central offset portion receivable in one of said apertures, the pin being of such length that its pointed ends project beyond opposite margins of said frame element, the apertures and the offset portion of the pins being of such relative size as to effect frictional engagement therebetween.

15. The combination of a curtain stretcher having lateral frame elements formed with apertures,

and a'pin sharpened at both ends and having a portion of double thickness extending at right angles from its middle, said double thickness portion being receivable in one of said apertures in the frame element, and having sufficient springiness to frictionally engage the opposite sides of the aperture. 7

'16. The combination with a curtain stretcher having frame elements formed with longitudinal series of sockets therein, of respective pins removably mountable in said sockets, each pin consisting of a single length of wire pointed at'both ends and having its central portion bent double to provide an integral, laterally extending portion of such size as to seat within one of said sockets in yielding engagement with the wall of said socket. ALBERT'H. MOORE. 

